Process Development
of electrically pumped violet laser diodes, developed on their Aixtron AIX
200/4 RF deposition system.
Violet laser diodes in next generation DVD drives could enable a boost in
capacity to 27GBytes (13 hours of video) from todays 4.7Gbytes based on
640nm laser diodes.
NCUs laser diode emits at 410nm and shows lasing above threshold currents
of 10kA/cm2. The device consists of a 5x1000micron index guided ridge
wave-guide laser structure, which is grown directly on a sapphire substrate.
The buffer layer consists of 2micron GaN and 1.5micron AlGaN (xAl~8%).
NCU is the second R&D group in Taiwan to develop a GaN blue laser, after OES
who achieved 415nm/7.2kA/cm2 also on an AIXTRON system (AIX 2000 HT).
Despatch Industries and Kobe Steel subsidiary Japan Superconductor
Technology (JASTEC) have made a co-operative agreement to develop a new
magnetic annealing tool for processing magnetic RAM (MRAM) semiconductor
wafers. The tool uses heat to set the axes of magnetic materials during MRAM
wafer production. Despatch designs and manufactures thermal processing
equipment. JASTEC supplies superconducting magnets and wires. Production
will begin immediately in Despatchs Minnesota facility. The first tool is
scheduled for completion this summer.
Processing capacity is 50 200mm wafers in a single batch - claimed as double
the current industry standard.
Despatch has also established a cleanroom testing facility. "Customers will
be able to bring in their own MRAM wafers and test the exceptional
capabilities of this new tool," says Despatch vice-president Ken Breur.
US DRAM producer Micron Technology added its name to the list of companies
announcing double date rate 400MHz (DDR400) memory (Bulletin 471, February
20, 2003). The memory is designed for use in high performance PCs using
chipsets such as Intels 865P/865PE/865G (Springdale version) and 875P
(Canterwood) with 800MHz front-side bus.
